May8,1945,VictoryinEuropeDay--shortenedto“V.E.Day“--broughtwithitthedemiseofNaziGermany.ButfortheAllies,thewarwasonlyhalf-won.ExhaustedbutexuberantAmericansoldiers,readytoreturnhome,weresenttojointhefightinginthePacific,whichbythespringandsummerof1945hadturnedintoagruelingcampaignofbloodyattritionagainstanenemydeterminedtofighttothelastman.Germanyhadsurrenderedunconditionally.TheJapanesewouldclearlymaketheconditionsofvictoryextraordinarilyhigh.FollowingV-EDay,AmericancitizensunderstandablyclamoredfortheiryoungmentobeshippedbackfromEuropeandlongedforareturntoapeacetimeeconomy.Politicsintrudeduponmilitarypolicywhileanewanduntestedpresidentstruggledtocontrolpolicy.ThechallengeofdefeatingtheJapanesehadcometoseemnearlyinsurmountable.AmericancasualtyratesduringthepreviouseighteenmonthsledArmyChiefofStaffGeneralGeorgeC.Marshalltowarnofthetollthat“theagonyofenduringbattle“wouldlikelytake.GeneralDouglasMacArthurclashedwithMarshallandAdmiralChesterNimitzoverstrategy.Meanwhile,underpressure,theArmybeganaprogramofpartialdemobilizationoftroopsinEurope,whichdepletedunitsatatimewhencombat-testedsoldiersweremostneeded.Inthiscontextofmilitaryemergency,thefearsomeprojectionsofthehumancostofinvadingtheJapanesehomeland,andweakeningsocialandpoliticalwillintheAmericanhomeland,seemedtomakevictory,unconditionalorotherwise,anincreasinglydistantprospect.InImplacableFoes,award-winninghistoriansWaldoHeinrichsandMarcGallicchiobringtolifethefinalyearandahalfofWorldWarIIinthePacific,combininggrandstrategyandground-levelaccount,takingreadersfromtheisland-hoppingcampaignsinthespringof1944--NewGuineatothePhilippinestoOkinawaandIwoJima--rightuptothedroppingoftheatomicbombsoverHiroshimaandNagasakiinAugust1945.HeinrichsandGallicchiorevealmorefullythaneverbeforenotonlytheJapanesepoliciesofdesperatedefense,butalsothesometimesrancorousdebatesonthehomefront,andintheprocessdeliveragrippingbattlenarrativeintegratedwithaprovocativeandrevisionistdiscussionofAmericandecision-making.Theresultisamasterfulworkofmilitaryhistory,onethatilluminatesboththecalculusofglobalwarandtheincalculablepartplayedbyindividualsacrifice.
